I've been using minor variations upon this team ever since SM was the current gen. I don't really play singles regularly very often these days. Sometimes I manage to get up to the 1500s on the ladder, but I then quite quickly get knocked back down - I'm usually between 1350-1450.
The core of the team is around Mega Alakazam, and then Unburden Hawlucha. Scarf Serperior gives me a third sweeper. Magnezone is there to remove certain Steel types, especially Ferrothorn and some Kartana, while also providing the defensive utility of a Steel type and being able to hit most Flying types. Finally, Fini and Lando are support Pokemon who provide defensive utility and help whittle down opposing Mons before the sweepers can go to town.
Tapu Fini @ Leftovers
Ability: Misty Surge
EVs: 248 HP / 16 Def / 84 SpA / 92 SpD / 68 Spe
Calm Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Surf
- Moonblast
- Taunt
- Defog
For a long time I used Psychium Z Tapu Lele instead, which blocked priority and boosted Alakazam's Psychics, but Fini's greater bulk and better type synergy had more value to the team. Surf hits Fire and Ground types, Moonblast for Dragon and Fighting types. Defog is obviously to remove opposing hazards. Taunt frankly doesn't feel that useful as I rarely actually get the chance to use it before the damage is done - I'm leaning more towards Haze to help counter e.g. DDancers and Ultra Beasts. Don't remember what the EVs do - I think Istole appropriated them from an old sample team.
Alakazam-Mega @ Alakazite
Ability: Magic Guard
EVs: 4 HP / 252 SpA / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Psychic
- Shadow Ball
- Energy Ball
- Focus Blast
I'll be real - I think Mega Ala is the best Pokemon in the tier. It's incredibly fast and has huge Special Attack. Before Mega Evolving, it's immune to passive damage thanks to Magic Guard, so it doesn't care about Hazards. I usually try to save it for the endgame, where it can easily end up counter-sweeping. The exception is against weather teams, where I like to use it as a revenge killer - Trace Chlorophyll or Photosynthesis and you're unfathomably fast. Psychic is the main STAB, Shadow Ball is a safer option if the opponent has a Dark type switch-in available that also helps to hit the likes of Tapu Lele, Energy Ball for Water/Ground/Rock types (especially Mega Swampert), and Focus Blast for Dark and Steel types, especially Tyranitar (though Energy Ball is a safer option if they're down to ~50%).
Recover is probably more standard than Energy Ball, but realistically Ala is too fragile for Recover to be worthwhile.
Serperior @ Choice Scarf
Ability: Contrary
EVs: 4 HP / 252 SpA / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Leaf Storm
- Dragon Pulse
- Hidden Power [Fire]
- Toxic
Contrary Leaf Storm go brr. Very few things can take a +4 Leaf Storm.
The other options are not especially relevant. Unboosted Dragon Pulse and Hidden Power don't do enough, even super effectively, to really threaten anything. I did use HP Ice for Lando/Glisgor/Garchomp, but Leaf Storm is a better option. There might be some value in it for Salamence and Dragonite. HP Fire doesn't really threaten Ferrothorn or Celesteela but has some value for Scarf Kartana. HP Ground might be useful for baiting Heatran. Toxic is useful for hitting things like Zapdos and Tornadus, although it does then require you to switch.
The first iteration of this team (with Lele) used Ash-Gren, but switching to Fini meant I needed another Electric resist.
Hawlucha @ Misty Seed
Ability: Unburden
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Adamant Nature
- Acrobatics
- High Jump Kick
- Swords Dance
- Roost
You know what this does, the Suryakumar Yadav of SM OU. Get it in shortly after Fini and hit Acrobatics or HJK. Swords Dance is mostly used in front of Lando and mons that commonly run Protect. Acrobatics is the safer STAB option, HJK helps secure some crucial KOs. Roost is usually safe and can help against Electric types. Mostly I like to keep this in once Unburden has been activated, but even without Unburden Hawlucha is strong and fast.
Landorus-Therian (M) @ Leftovers
Ability: Intimidate
EVs: 132 HP / 4 Atk / 116 Def / 252 SpD / 4 Spe
Adamant Nature
- Knock Off
- Earthquake
- U-turn
- Stealth Rock
Utility mon, my default lead. Bulky to help with Hidden Power Ice and general survivability. Lacks a way to hit most non-grounded Pokemon for decent damage, so there might be a case for dropping the U-turn pivot for Rock Slide, and maybe even Rockium Z.
Magnezone @ Choice Specs
Ability: Magnet Pull
EVs: 4 HP / 4 Def / 252 SpA / 4 SpD / 244 Spe
Modest Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Thunderbolt
- Flash Cannon
- Hidden Power [Fire]
- Volt Switch
Primarily for trapping Ferrothorn, but also helps against Fairies, Celesteela, Skarmory, some other Steel types, rain teams, Toxic/Poison attacks, and does a nice side hustle in baiting Lando and hitting it with Flash Cannon for 60% plus. Rarely actually hit Volt Switch because of the ubiquity of Ground types, but the only real alternative is Signal Beam.
Big threats:
- priority - oops Alakazam took a Greninja Water Shruiken or a Mega Pinsir Quick Attack and fainted.
- set-up - don't really have a good answer to Mega Zard X D-Dance, for example. As soon as something is faster than my sweepers then it's probably too late.
The core of the team is around Mega Alakazam, and then Unburden Hawlucha. Scarf Serperior gives me a third sweeper. Magnezone is there to remove certain Steel types, especially Ferrothorn and some Kartana, while also providing the defensive utility of a Steel type and being able to hit most Flying types. Finally, Fini and Lando are support Pokemon who provide defensive utility and help whittle down opposing Mons before the sweepers can go to town.
Tapu Fini @ Leftovers
Ability: Misty Surge
EVs: 248 HP / 16 Def / 84 SpA / 92 SpD / 68 Spe
Calm Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Surf
- Moonblast
- Taunt
- Defog
For a long time I used Psychium Z Tapu Lele instead, which blocked priority and boosted Alakazam's Psychics, but Fini's greater bulk and better type synergy had more value to the team. Surf hits Fire and Ground types, Moonblast for Dragon and Fighting types. Defog is obviously to remove opposing hazards. Taunt frankly doesn't feel that useful as I rarely actually get the chance to use it before the damage is done - I'm leaning more towards Haze to help counter e.g. DDancers and Ultra Beasts. Don't remember what the EVs do - I think I
Alakazam-Mega @ Alakazite
Ability: Magic Guard
EVs: 4 HP / 252 SpA / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Psychic
- Shadow Ball
- Energy Ball
- Focus Blast
I'll be real - I think Mega Ala is the best Pokemon in the tier. It's incredibly fast and has huge Special Attack. Before Mega Evolving, it's immune to passive damage thanks to Magic Guard, so it doesn't care about Hazards. I usually try to save it for the endgame, where it can easily end up counter-sweeping. The exception is against weather teams, where I like to use it as a revenge killer - Trace Chlorophyll or Photosynthesis and you're unfathomably fast. Psychic is the main STAB, Shadow Ball is a safer option if the opponent has a Dark type switch-in available that also helps to hit the likes of Tapu Lele, Energy Ball for Water/Ground/Rock types (especially Mega Swampert), and Focus Blast for Dark and Steel types, especially Tyranitar (though Energy Ball is a safer option if they're down to ~50%).
Recover is probably more standard than Energy Ball, but realistically Ala is too fragile for Recover to be worthwhile.
Serperior @ Choice Scarf
Ability: Contrary
EVs: 4 HP / 252 SpA / 252 Spe
Timid Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Leaf Storm
- Dragon Pulse
- Hidden Power [Fire]
- Toxic
Contrary Leaf Storm go brr. Very few things can take a +4 Leaf Storm.
The other options are not especially relevant. Unboosted Dragon Pulse and Hidden Power don't do enough, even super effectively, to really threaten anything. I did use HP Ice for Lando/Glisgor/Garchomp, but Leaf Storm is a better option. There might be some value in it for Salamence and Dragonite. HP Fire doesn't really threaten Ferrothorn or Celesteela but has some value for Scarf Kartana. HP Ground might be useful for baiting Heatran. Toxic is useful for hitting things like Zapdos and Tornadus, although it does then require you to switch.
The first iteration of this team (with Lele) used Ash-Gren, but switching to Fini meant I needed another Electric resist.
Hawlucha @ Misty Seed
Ability: Unburden
EVs: 252 Atk / 4 SpD / 252 Spe
Adamant Nature
- Acrobatics
- High Jump Kick
- Swords Dance
- Roost
You know what this does, the Suryakumar Yadav of SM OU. Get it in shortly after Fini and hit Acrobatics or HJK. Swords Dance is mostly used in front of Lando and mons that commonly run Protect. Acrobatics is the safer STAB option, HJK helps secure some crucial KOs. Roost is usually safe and can help against Electric types. Mostly I like to keep this in once Unburden has been activated, but even without Unburden Hawlucha is strong and fast.
Landorus-Therian (M) @ Leftovers
Ability: Intimidate
EVs: 132 HP / 4 Atk / 116 Def / 252 SpD / 4 Spe
Adamant Nature
- Knock Off
- Earthquake
- U-turn
- Stealth Rock
Utility mon, my default lead. Bulky to help with Hidden Power Ice and general survivability. Lacks a way to hit most non-grounded Pokemon for decent damage, so there might be a case for dropping the U-turn pivot for Rock Slide, and maybe even Rockium Z.
Magnezone @ Choice Specs
Ability: Magnet Pull
EVs: 4 HP / 4 Def / 252 SpA / 4 SpD / 244 Spe
Modest Nature
IVs: 0 Atk
- Thunderbolt
- Flash Cannon
- Hidden Power [Fire]
- Volt Switch
Primarily for trapping Ferrothorn, but also helps against Fairies, Celesteela, Skarmory, some other Steel types, rain teams, Toxic/Poison attacks, and does a nice side hustle in baiting Lando and hitting it with Flash Cannon for 60% plus. Rarely actually hit Volt Switch because of the ubiquity of Ground types, but the only real alternative is Signal Beam.
Big threats:
- priority - oops Alakazam took a Greninja Water Shruiken or a Mega Pinsir Quick Attack and fainted.
- set-up - don't really have a good answer to Mega Zard X D-Dance, for example. As soon as something is faster than my sweepers then it's probably too late.